NPR's At the Opera:

It Ain't Over Until Lou Says It Is

NPR's At the Opera (SM) is an artistic breakthrough: a laid-back, unpretentious, and fun approach to understanding the highs, lows, and mezzo sopranos of the opera world. Similar to the pre- and post-game shows for professional sports, At the Opera sets the stage for America’s great opera broadcasts — the Metropolitan Opera, the Lyric Opera, and NPR's World of Opera®. The pre-opera half hour sets up the performance to be heard that day, putting it in context for listeners. The post-opera segment recaps the highlights of the performance and points out interesting sidelights even careful listeners may have missed.

NPR created At the Opera to enrich the listening experience for opera fans, aficionados and newcomers alike, by explaining opera in the context of current trends and events. For example, host Lou Santacroce recently discussed La Clemenza de Tito, an opera in which a woman who expects to marry the emperor retaliates by burning the city down when he chooses another bride. To bring the plot more up to date for At the Opera listeners, Santacroce spoke with Ann Rule. Rule, a true crime writer, related the real-life story of a woman who burned down her home, with her children inside, because her husband asked for a divorce. Guests on other shows have included a psychologist, a lawyer, a film studies professor and staff members of TV’s The Jerry Springer Show.

While Santacroce knows his opera bouffes from his opera serias, he's also got his ear to the ground of the opera world. Pushy divas? Feisty conductors? In each show you'll hear the inside story, along with a careful artistic analysis of the operatic feature of the day and even music selections from other works by that day's featured conductor or performers.

Listen to host Lou Santacroce's interview on NPR's Performance Today. He discusses the Sex Pistols, class struggle, marital and legal issues, and...oh yeah, The Marriage of Figaro.

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To find At the Opera in your area, check our local stations list. You can contact the show directly by email or call the listener line at 202-513-3232.